This year’s Handler’s Clinic with Phil Swain is almost upon us. There is one spot left and still time to reserve it. A Handler’s Clinic will take you through each testing event and give you a judge’s-eye view of what they look for in every aspect. If you want to really understand what they want dogs doing in Natural Ability and Utility tests, this is your opportunity.

The next training day is approaching. We have requested spring weather, but be prepared for anything. Please register here if you have not already done so.

Also, note a couple of changes to the registration form. First, only 2 chukar will be needed for the field training portion of the Utility program. If you already registered, you can still login and change your bird order accordingly.

Second, a third training level has been added. ‘First-year Utility’ is for trainers that tested Natural Ability last year, and are just starting their Utility training. Additional sessions will be added to introduce these trainers to more advanced yard-work drills.

The next training day is March 9th. If you haven’t registered yet, please do so before March 7. The sign up page is under the Events tab on the home page. Click HERE to go directly to the signup page. Be prepared for any kind of weather, training day will happen whatever the weather brings.

Remember, if you are a Utility trainer and want to participate in the field excercises, you will have to purchase at least 3 chukar. If you want to buy more for your own use, add them to the 3 you will be buying for the formal field training. Be sure to bring your own bird bag and transport cage for birds you buy for your own use.

I hope everyone had a great hunting season and are looking forward to another successful year with RMC NAVHDA as we roll over into the 2019 training and testing season. 

We had a large turnout at the Annual Meeting with great conversation.  We elected 5 new faces to the board and retained 4 board members.  I am really excited to work with this team.  They have been dedicated to the chapter for many years and their insight and ideas to make this chapter successful for years to come is invaluable.  They have been working extremely hard since the meeting to get 2019 started off right and planning the opportunities available this year.  We had some great discussion regarding the Bylaws, Standing Rules and International motions.  It was wonderful to see the whole membership, newly elected board members and those in attendance alike, come together to discuss, compromise, and collectively work towards decisions we felt were best for the organization as a whole as we move forward.

Steve Roberts has done a phenomenal job of updating the website since the meeting.  Please check out the following links to view:

• 2019 Officers and Board of Directors and Elected Positions
• Minutes from the RMC 2019 Annual Meeting
• By-Laws updated January 2019
• 2019 Training Day Calendar
• 2019 Testing Dates
• 2019 Membership Form

I am very excited for 2019 as we are going to be implementing changes to event sign ups and the structure of training days.  We will no longer be using SignUp Genius as we are transitioning to integrating sign ups on the website.  Please be patient with us as we develop these new features.

I highly encourage all of our members, especially new members testing and training for the first time, to attend the February Indoor Training Day.  We are going to spell out how our training days are going to operate this year.  We have reached out to multiple highly successful NAVHDA Chapters across the country for some new ideas and group training styles to implement at RMC NAVHDA.  They are going to be fun and focus on the tools to be a better handler and develop a more finished gundog.  We also have some exciting things planned with two different clinics this year and we will announce them at the February training day as well. 

I look forward to seeing everyone in February and I am excited to serve as your president in 2019.

Jake Heesacker
RMC NAVHDA President
Dogs with Altitude

Each year, the Rocky Mountain Chapter of NAVHDA holds an annual meeting to select its board, establish test dates, set chapter dues and identify special training clinics for the coming year.
This year, we are holding our meeting at the Johnstown Scheels on Sunday Jan. 13 from 1:30 to 3:30 pm. After, we’ll gather at a nearby restaurant (TBD- suggestions welcome) for a social hour. Please save the date and look for a Signup Genius link shortly.

Each annual meeting is important for the Chapter, but this year more so than most because there will be significant turnover on the board of directors. While all positions are elected every year, the chapter needs to select a new slate of these key positions: president, vice president, training director, test secretary and treasurer. 

We are fortunate to have had core chapter members step forward to put their names up for nomination for three of these roles: president, vice president and training director. We are reaching out to you to help us fill two others: treasurer and test secretary. 

The chapter has never had a lot of money, so we work hard to be fiscally responsible. For treasurer, we’re looking for someone with experience managing books who will maintain a sharp eye on our accounts. The treasurer receives all incoming funds (including membership, test fees, and training clinic fees), pays all bills (our insurance, judge’s bills, permits, etc), maintains the chapter checking account and CD, and provides a treasurer’s report at all meetings. Scott Waggy has done a  superb job filling that role for us. Scott and his wife recently welcomed their first child and he is understandably looking to focus on his family this year. Scott has lined out a system for managing the accounts and said he will be happy to work with the new treasurer. This year we will be able to accept membership and clinic fees through our website, which will reduce the workload somewhat.

Sara Heesacker has been tremendous as our Test Secretary this year, taking over for Phil Goodwin seamlessly as we expanded to two three-day tests. With Craig McLaughlin stepping back after many years as Training Director, Sara has expressed interest in running for that role. Test Secretary is a critical and essential role for the chapter. It entails a fairly clear-cut set of pre-test prep and post-test reporting responsibilities and requires a detail-oriented person who hits deadlines. Sara has created a Test Secretary manual that lines out all responsibilities and timelines for this important position and has said she’s happy to work with a new secretary to make sure there’s a smooth transition.   

The strength of any organization is in the next generation, and we are very fortunate to have a deep pool to draw from. It has been a great privilege to lead the chapter this past four years, to watch it grow and see a new core of experienced handlers and leaders emerge. 

In addition to the board roles, the chapter is always in need of volunteers to help staff tests, training clinics and especially training days. 

If you and your dog have benefited from our chapter programs and would like to give back to the community which has helped you progress in your training program, please consider volunteering this year in preparation for stepping into a leadership role in 2020.Hope you’re still out there enjoying your hunting season, and we look forward to seeing you on Jan 13. 

Thanks! 

Theo Stein 
President